


Keeping It In the Family

by Nitrobot



Category: Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)
Genre: Brothers, F/M, Secret Crush, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Tumblr request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-03 23:23:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4118517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nitrobot/pseuds/Nitrobot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If dealing with a crush wasn't hard enough, now Sideswipe has to compete with a very unwelcome, very annoying little brother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping It In the Family

**Author's Note:**

> I've had the 'Smokescreen, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker as brothers' headcanon for quite a while now, but I've never really used it for anything until now. Mostly I just like the thought of the twins being the jewel of their sire's eye and Smokescreen just being... there.  
> Also on tumblr: http://nitrostation.tumblr.com/post/120800479712/can-you-please-write-a-strongarmxsideswipe-fic

Sideswipe supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised to find Smokescreen following them to Earth. How many times had he and Sunstreaker had to bail their little brother out of jail after a wild night out in Praxus?

Then again, what he was doing on a _Decepticon_ prison ship he had no idea. Maybe he got mixed up or the Autobot brigs just couldn’t put up with him. Sideswipe was betting on the latter.

“Your soldier report lists you as a ‘professional troublemaker’, so I’ve half a processor to put you back in the stasis pod and save myself another babysitting job,” Strongarm stated grimly while perusing a datapad. Smokescreen’s expression was twitchy with nerves but seamlessly switched to a full on sparkling pout.

“No fair. Sideswipe’s just as bad, how come he gets to go where he wants?” He gestured to smirking brother at Strongarm’s side while Sides sneakily admired her armour glinting in the early daylight. Somehow her scowl made her all the more desirable.

“Cause he’s only an ‘amateur troublemaker,’ she curtly replied, ignoring a protest from her side as she flicked to another screen on her pad. “So, you have two options. Either do as I say, or spend the next little while frozen. Your choice.”

Smokescreen looked and kicked at the ground, sending up a defiant puff of dust. “Fine, I’ll take the first one… ma’am.” 

Strongarm actually smiled at the formality, subspacing her pad and nudging Sides with her shoulder. “Sideswipe, take him to the scrapyard. You’ll have to walk since he doesn’t have an alt mode yet. but I’m sure you two have some catching up to do anyway.”

She was already zooming off in her alt mode before Sideswipe could object. Out of all the mechs in the galactic quadrant he got stuck with escorting the most insufferable one? 

Times like this he wished he’d joined the Decepticons with their sire.

“So… this is where the noble and exclusive Protihex racing job got you?” Smokescreen asked with obvious mockery as he gazed in fake awe at all the wonders Earth had to offer- rocks and dirt with a few bugs getting stuck in your joints if you were unlucky. 

Sideswipe was bitter enough about the situation without needing a reminder. “Shut up. Least I earned my credits for a while rather than sponge off the Autobot recruitment program.” He knew Smokescreen had never even been in a combat situation, instead his job was keeping Alpha Trion from going more senile than he already was in the Hall of Records.

If Smokescreen was bothered by the insult, he just shrugged it off. “Yet here we both are anyway, with you in the infantry line. But if I knew the commanders looked like her, I would’ve transferred position as well.”

Sideswipe tensed up at the softer tone of his brother’s voice. He asked carefully, “You mean Strongarm?”

“Yeah, she’s kinda hot.”

Sides did not like where this was going. He tried to cough away the static-laced awkwardness clouding his vocaliser. “…For a femme that could punch through your spark chamber, maybe.”

Smokescreen laughed, which only made Sides even more uncomfortable. Smoke _never_ laughed at his quips. “You fragged her yet?”

Sideswipe almost snorted oil through his olfactories in shock. “No!” He’d thought about it plenty times, but like the Pit was he going to mention that.

Too bad Smokescreen’s senses had only gotten more unnerving over the years. He probably got from their carrier, the way she always knew when her sons had broken curfew in the night. “Well, d’you want to?”

“I… I’m not answering that!” Sideswipe ached to transform and drive for the nearest hill or bottomless hole in the ground, anything to hide the furious blush on his cheekplates from detection.

With his back turned, he didn’t notice Smoke shrugging in apparent dismissal. “Well, if you’re not interested, I might as well try my luck.”

 _‘Just try it and I’ll throw you in a pod with a live Sharkticon,’_ Sideswipe almost growled, venting in heavy relief when the scrapyard appeared over the curve of the horizon.

Strongarm was still awake while the other three Autobots snored in their own makeshift quarters- suddenly Sideswipe dreaded the thought of Smokescreen bunking with him until a spare berth could be found.

But that was a worry for later, as Sides was mostly focused on the wink below wiggling eyeridges that Smokescreen threw at him before approaching Strongarm while she buffed her servo plating. 

“Y’know, I think we got off on the wrong ped back there,” Smoke started, lowering his doorwings and fiddling with his digits in a classic stance of submission. “You’re only doing your job, making sure there’s nothing to sabotage you mission and I can respect that. So, let me just promise that I’ll do whatever I can to help, whatever needs to be done.”

Strongarm raised an eyeridge in pleasant surprise while Sideswipe just rolled his optics. “Well.. that’s very mature of you, Smokescreen. I appreciate it. Maybe some of it will rub off on your brother in time.”

Oh Primus, she was buying it. Sides was sorely tempted to shove Smokescreen into the dirt before he ruined his chances with her even more.

Emboldened by the positive response, Smokescreen pushed his luck further. “And may I saw that you have a lovely paint job?”

At least Strongarm was immune to the usual lines, from how she shook her helm with a huff. “Flattery won’t get you back to Cybertron any faster, Smokescreen.” 

Smokescreen’s confident grin faltered, but he was still determined. “Well, with you here, I’d be happy to stay on Earth for as long as necess-” 

At some point, the mental image of Smokescreen possibly getting his hands on Strongarm’s armour- or worse still, her protoform- made Sideswipe snap. “Oh, you slagger!” He was slamming Smoke’s side before he’d finished speaking, shoving them both into a mountain of rusted vehicle chassis’ that crashed down on them. It woke up at least one sleeping bot, probably Grimlock from the loud sleepy complaint of “But it’s not morning yet.”

The two mechs were too dazed from the collision to actually fight, but even with their helms in order the disapproving glare of Strongarm standing over them deterred them from even looking right at her.

"I’m going to recharge. Clean up this mess before sunrise, you two.”

The two brothers replied in unison, “Yes, ma’am.”


End file.
